The Buffalo Gals’ tri-tip roasts were on the grill, a wonderful aroma filling the air around Bear Creek Nature Center. What was a bear to do? He just headed down the hill to where all the hungry people were and tried to invite himself to dinner.

It was a perfect exclamation point to the annual Happy Trails fundraiser for healthy parks, sponsored by the Trails and Open Space Coalition and El Paso County Nature Centers on Aug. 17.

After the barbecue, the human guests sampled vintages from Sovereignty Wines and Bristol microbrews and — the pièce de résistance — desserts from 16 area restaurants and bakeries.

The celebratory event was an opportunity for new county parks director Karen Palus, Trails and Open Space Coalition Executive Director Susan Davies and, from the county parks, Todd Marts, to update everyone. Davies reported that 17 local Friends groups are being coordinated for a combined effort to maintain local open space properties and parks, and there’s an effort to build a coalition of community groups to adopt the entire Greenway Trail and waterway.

In addition, it was announced that the 20-year-old Fountain Creek Nature Center is being expanded, along with its educational programming.